CEBU?s boxing personalities were split on their opinion of Manny Pacquiao?s close majority decision win over archenemy Juan Manuel Marquez yesterday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer, who saw the action live in Las Vegas, felt that the third encounter was too close to call like the first two meetings between two of the best pugilists of their era. He, however, was convinced that the judges? decision was fair.
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?It was a close fight from where I sat at the MGM. It could go either way. Marquez threw clean shots but Pacquiao was the aggressor and threw more combinations. Marquez just waited to counter. It was Manny that took the fight to Marquez and being the champion, he deserves the win. In boxing, if you are the challenger, you have to be the aggressor. To me it was a close fight. If you put the marbles together, Manny deserved the win. It was the noisiest boxing crowd I?ve ever watched, more than (Floyd) Mayweather vs. (Oscar) de la Hoya. The atmosphere was tremendous,? the Cebuano promoter told Sun.Star Cebu.
Renowned ALA Gym trainers, the Villamor brothers, Edito and Edmund, were convinced that Pacquiao deserved the victory because he was more aggressive and threw more punches, while Marquez, who landed the clearer blows, was satisfied with counterpunching.
?Pacquiao won in a very close fight. Marquez was waiting all the time. I think the judges saw it for Pacquiao because he was throwing more punches, while Marquez was just contented in landing single shots,? said Edito, who watched the fight live with the marquee boxers of ALA Promotions at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
?Manny clearly won it. In the first 10 rounds, it was even but Manny got the 11th and 12th rounds because he was more aggressive. Marquez?s style was ugly. Manny should face Mayweather next because that is the fight that the people want,? said Edmund.
World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, world-rated AJ Banal and undefeated Genesis Servania also believe that Pacquiao clearly won the fight and should face Mayweather Jr. next.
?Pacquiao won that fight. The decision of the judges was okay. If I were Pacquiao, I won?t give Marquez a rematch. Marquez kept on running. Pacquiao should face Mayweather,? said Nietes.
?I believe Manny won that fight. Marquez was just counterpunching unlike their previous fights, wherein he was aggressive. He just countered and didn?t follow it up.
There shouldn?t be a rematch and Manny should face Mayweather,? said Banal.
?For me Pacquiao really won the fight. Marquez always ran and made it boring. I believe there shouldn?t be a rematch,? said Servania.
On the other hand, highly-ranked flyweight Milan Melindo and retired former ALA star Z Gorres thought that Marquez did enough to deserve a close victory over the pound-for-pound No.1 in the world, while former world title challenger Rey ?Boom-Boom? Bautista saw the mega fight even.
?It was hard to decide. If you based it on aggressiveness, Pacquiao won because he was more aggressive. However, people didn?t see that Marquez was landing the clearer shots. For me, I think Marquez won,? Melindo said.
?I think Marquez won but it was a very close fight. There should be a rematch so that there would be closure on who really won,? said Gorres.
?I?m confused. Marquez had the solid punches. I think it was a draw. It was too close to call. I think there should be a rematch,? said Bautista.
